Nassau Herald 03-14-2024

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Sasha Young, the founder of Gammy’s Pantry and the director of summer camps and afterschool programs at the Five Towns Community Center in Lawrence, stepped down from her roles there and said goodbye last Friday.

“All of it,” Young said when asked what she would miss about working at the center.

“Mostly the people — we’re like one huge family, like grandmothers, grandfathers, cousins. I’ll miss that the most.”

Young, who lives in Inwood, shared the news of her planned

departure in early February on Facebook. On March 5 she told the Herald in a text that in a meeting with the community center’s board, it was decided that the pantry would stay open for the next two months, to continue feeding the families that have come to rely on it.

Young opened the pantry six years ago, inspired by her grandmother Betty Young, whom she called Gammy. At its start, the

facility served about 100 families, and the demand has grown. During the hours when it’s open, there is usually a line out the Community Center’s front doors.

And, Young said, the pantry has expanded to offer clothing and medical supplies as well as food.

“There was a reason why we’ve done what we’ve done, why we’ve been successful at doing it,” Young said. “We filled a

Bionica girls go global

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Hewlett High School’s allgirls robotics team is seeing the results of months of preparation. After dedicating Friday nights since September to building a robot, meeting with mentors and collaborating with other young engineers, the team will compete in the international FIRST Championship of robotics in Houston next month.

“It was so nice, so rewarding to see the fruits of our labor, and that all the hard

need, and we were happy to do it, and if the need was being filled (elsewhere), there never would have been a need for the pantry, or clothing closet, or after-school, if anything else was offered in the community.”

Young said she was also proud of her work in the center’s community garden, where she has taught families to grow their own food, as well as her

efforts to expand services for seniors. She said she didn’t know of any plans to continue after-school programs, the summer camp or the pantry.

The future of the center, at 270 Lawrence Ave., is uncertain. Its 50-year lease with Nassau County, which owns the site, is set to expire in July, and the county appears to have no

Parker Schug/Herald

Team Bionica will travel to Houston in April to compete in the FIRST Championship of robotics, following months of preparation and competing in regional competitions. Clockwise from top left were Natalie Zellner, Nicole Kuznetsov, Ella Findling, Emily Smukler, Mila Profiloski, Deniz Artan, Valeria Paez, Aviv Paz, Maree Drayling, Joanna Chen, Rachel Chen and Sidrah Ashrafi.

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Achiezer presents safety training program

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Achiezer, in collaboration with Center for Allied Health Education, are preparing parents for emergency situations. On March 6, the two organizations joined forces for a two-hour Safety Training and Awareness Program in the Oasis Ballroom of Bais Tefila of Inwood.

“The staff at Achiezer spends their days and nights helping people with all sorts of issues, particularly health and medical related,” Rabbi Boruch Ber Bender, president of Achiezer said. “It is events like this that we are eager to reach the community with, to bring awareness and emergency preparedness to parents and caregivers. If we even save one life in the future, than the entire event would have been worth it.”

IBrooklyn-based CAHE, spoke at the event where choking, allergic reaction, head trauma and respiratory conditions in children were discussed.

“Over the 30 years of my involvement in emergency medicine, perhaps the most frustrating feeling is not when a patient dies, because sometimes patients die and that’s the cycle of life,” Rozenberg said.

“But it’s when you see patients die, or get a severe illness that didn’t need to, simply because there was a lack of common sense, there was just a lack of knowledge and awareness. How we could set up our homes, our schools, our lives in a way that is so simple, that’s so protective, so that we don’t so that you never have to see me in your house?”

f we even save one life in the future, than the entire event would have been worth it.

Achiezer, based out of 334 Central Ave. in Lawrence and 144 Beach 9th Street in Far Rockaway, provides those in medical, financial or emotional crisis with resources and rapid response supplementing other local entities, organizations and tools.

R ABBI BoRUCH BER BEndER President of Achiezer

The organization has a 24-hour emergency hotline, a financial management program, a hospital food program, a health insurance program and a mental health program among others.

Jerry Rozenberg, president and CEO of

Elina Beyn, vice president for enrollment at CAHE handed out water bottles and first aid kits at the event.

“We offer exclusively health care training programs, one to two year programs and the only focus is on health care,” Beyn said.

The education center offers EMT, paramedic, radiation therapy and surgical technology training along with the programs offered to groups like Achiezer.

Daniel Goldfeder, director of operations at Achiezer helped coordinate the March 6 event.

“We realized that it’s a big, I don’t want to say problem, but it’s definitely a

struggle people have,” Goldfeder said, of local parents’ crisis response with children. “They are thrown into the world of being young, married, having a kid and now they have all of these things they’re not prepared for, so we got together and realized its something that we want to be able to get over and be able to teach people.”

Debra Rosenthal, a mother of two in the Five Towns learned of the event in a WhatsApp group chat, she said.

“It’s better to be informed, better safe than sorry,” Rosenthal said.

For more information on Achiezer, visit Achiezer.org. Go to Cahe.edu for more on Center for Allied Health Education.

Trustees Plaut, Zisman run unchallenged, March 19

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Cedarhurst village Trustees Dan Plaut and Myrna Zisman are up for re-election on March 19. Both are running unopposed for the four-year terms. Plaut for his second full term and Zisman for her fifth.

The village board of trustee’s main responsibilities includes managing the budget of the village, as well as safety and security.

“It’s laser focused that the money should be used carefully and diligently with respect to the village residents as well as the businesses in the village,” Plaut said.

During his previous term, Plaut served as a liaison to the Nassau County Police Department, helping to maintain resident security, he said.

“I have been fortunate enough to get grants for our village through our Nassau County Legislator Howard Kopel,” Plaut said, which was used for a new camera system protecting areas such as Andrew J. Parise Cedarhurst Park.

Plaut filled a board vacancy, when former Trustee Ronald Lanzilotta stepped down in 2019. Plaut was re-elected in the postponed election of 2020.

“I view being an elected official in our

beloved village as one of the great honors of my life,” Plaut said. “I cherish every moment and take it seriously.”

Going into the next term, he plans to continue making security the number one priority in the village, with maintaining beautification of the community, second.

“Our park is a shining star for our village as well as residents in the neighboring areas,” Plaut said of Cedarhurst Park.

He has also helped with initiatives to plant more trees throughout the village in his previous term, a project he plans to be robust with moving forward, as well as the maintenance of the business district, where he obtained a grant for a special garbage truck for additional pickups, Plaut said.

“We started special collections just with our regular trucks,” Plaut said. “We’re waiting for imminent delivery of this special truck.”

Plaut also serves on the architectural review board and will continue in that role, maintaining the quaint feel of the business district.

Zisman has been serving as a trustee since 2006, also holding a position on the Board of Zoning Appeals for a year when she started.

“What I can tell you, more than any-

thing else, is that I love the Village of Cedarhurst,” Zisman said.

Her priorities in her time serving have also included maintaining the cleanliness and safety of the village.

“We’re worried about all kinds of things going on outside of our community,” Zisman said, stating that she knows the vulnerability of the Five Towns, and finds it important to recognize that the village is not isolated. “We’re hoping for peace all over the world, especially in Israel.”

She will continue to put the business district at the top of her priorities, Zisman said.

“We’re working very hard with our mayor and the rest of our board to make sure Cedarhurst remains a viable village,” Zisman said. “We’re the only ones that have the line of retail stores that we do.” Zisman has also worked with the Republican Jewish Coalition, Rep. Anthony D’Esposito and former Congressman Lee Zeldin.

Both Plaut and Zisman have grown families living in the Five Towns and look forward to being elected to another term on the village board, they said.

Voting is from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19 in Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Ave. in Cedarhurst.

Parker Schug/Herald Elina Beyn, vice president for enrollment at Center for Allied Health Education of Brooklyn distributed water bottles, first aid kits and resource pamphlets as part of the March 6 Achiezer Safety Training and Awareness program.

Courtesy Cedarhurst village, Myrna Zisman Cedarhurst Trustees Dan Plaut and Myrna Zisman are both running unopposed for their second and fifth four-year terms respectively, on March 19.

Nassau makes federal case of trans ban

By PARKER SCHUG pschug@liherald.com

Bruce Blakeman wants to ban transgender athletes who identify as female from participating in women sports on Nassau County playing fields. But Letitia James says he can’t do that.

So, the Nassau County executive is joining Mark Mullen — the father of a female athlete he says is protected by such a ban — to file a federal lawsuit contesting the state attorney general’s ceaseand-desist order halting Blakeman’s efforts to restrict who can be on a sports team.

“What the attorney general was asking us to do was a violation of federal Constitutional law and federal statutory law,” Blakeman told reporters in Mineola last week. “Our response was to file a lawsuit, for a declaratory judgment, requiring the attorney general to come before a federal judge and explain why this cease-and-desist order has been issued and the threat of sanctions and litigations against the county, when we in Nassau County are protecting women and girls, who are a protected class under the constitution, and under federal law.”

James sent her cease-and-desist letter to Blakeman on March 1, demanding he rescind his executive order banning transgender athletes identifying as female from participating in women’s

sports in county facilities. She called the executive order was transphobic and illegal under the state’s human rights and civil rights laws.

With the cease-and-desist, James ordered the county to rescind the executive order or face potential legal action.

“Not only will the order impact a wide array of Nassau-based teams and leagues, it will undoubtedly deter inclusive teams and transgender women and girls who participate in women’s and girls’ sports from other parts of the state who want to participate in sporting events and competitions in Nassau County,” James wrote.

A spokesperson from the attorney

general’s office reiterated that after Blakeman’s news conference, saying the laws protecting people from discrimination are not “up for debate.”

“The executive order is illegal,” the spokesperson said, “and it will not stand in New York.”

Blakeman cited the New York City Marathon as an example where males and females compete exclusively in their own classified groups.

“There is a reason for those classifications,” he said. “Males are bigger, stronger and faster. And it wouldn’t be a fair competition with females.”

The county’s action is consistent with the Constitution, Blakeman added, treat-

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ing women and girls as a protected class under federal law.

“Transgender women who are biological males are not a protected class under federal law,” he said.

And because of that, Blakeman believes his order is not transphobic.

“Transgender athletes can compete freely here in Nassau County, and we welcome it,” Blakeman said. “If you’re a biological male and you identify yourself as a female, you can play against other biological males. Or, you can play in a co-ed league.”

Blakeman posed an idea with reporters of starting a transgender league, something he said his parks commissioner, Darcy Belyea, is open to.

Blakeman issued his executive order last month with County Legislator Samantha Goetz and sports activist Kimberly Ross standing by his side.

The executive order demands sports, leagues, organizations, teams, programs or sport entities operating in county facilities to first designate themselves based on gender makeup, and then only accept athletes who meet that criteria according to what was originally listed on their birth certificate.

While those born male would not be allowed to participate in female teams, the order does not ban someone born female from joining a male team, or for anyone who is transgender from participating on a co-ed team.

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Parker Schug/Herald

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman says he’s filing a federal lawsuit contesting the state attorney general’s cease-and-desist order on his ban of transgender athletes identifying as female playing in women’s sports on county

HoodSkulls donates to the Israel Defense Forces

By JEFFREY BESSEN jbessen@liherald.com

When Woodsburgh resident Mario Alex Joseph volunteered with Sar-El, an Israel-based organization that helps with logistical support on Israel Defense Forces bases he didn’t know he would making a connection for his family’s small business.

From Feb. 1 to 8, Joseph was part of roughly 40 volunteers from around the world — many are Jewish, many are not, all over 35 — he said that were assigned to the Tze’elim IDF training base in the Negev Desert. The volunteers also regrouped in a Bedouin area in the desert.

“I felt like an 18-year-old,” Joseph said about being embedded with the unit even if it was just for a week. “The experiences were life-changing. Being where the music festival was wearing an IDF uniform, the people that were there grieving.”

The Re’im music festival was the site of the first Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

“Being there it was hard to speak,” he added about seeing what he called a “killing field,” saying that he thought about, “where I fit into the chains of time.”

One of those links of time fell into Joseph’s lap as he struck up a conversation with an IDF soldier who was not as interested in what Joseph does for a living — he’s a matrimonial attorney — as much as what Joseph and his children do as a “fun business.”

“The soldier said that’s badass,” Joseph said about HoodSkulls® that designs and markets after market products such as hood accessories for Jeeps, Broncos and trucks. “That is validating and so a day went by, I said, I would love to outfit these Rubicons, she already contacted some people.”

In April, whether in person or by freight, Joseph and his kids: Samuel and

Serena, both Queens College students and Sophia, who attends Cooper Union, will be donating up to 40 products for the base’s small fleet of Jeep Rubicons.

For the kids, who all wanted to join the IDF during their gap year between high school and college and didn’t because of their parents’ concerns, being able to contribute like this is thrilling. All three sent quotes through Facebook Messenger.

“We are proud Jews who believe in Israel’s right to defend herself,” Samuel said. “Our teams feels privileged to be contributing to the IDF and hopes to continue our partnership with the Israeli Army long after Hamas and its allies can only be found in the archives of history.”

Serena who is applying to law school said: “In these challenging times it’s a privilege to contribute, in our own unique way, to the brave men and women who defend our homeland every day. Our support is a symbol of our heartfelt gratitude and solidarity with the IDF, who protect our home country with courage and dedication.”

“We are beyond thrilled to share our design and support for the IDF, adding badassery to an already badass unit,” Sophia said.

Another deal could be cooking as well. On the last day that Joseph was on the base, he began talking with a IDF colonel after noticing his hat didn’t match his uniform. The colonel was wearing the hat of a friend who is a U.S. Marine.

The conversation continued, and once again the colonel was not stirred by Joseph’s profession as much as HoodSkulls®. The colonel then told Joseph about his son, Omer Pearl, part of the Israeli team that raced in the Dakar Rally that was in Saudi Arabia this year. The two have exchanged texts.

“So proud to be part of this family and parent to these kids,” said mother and wife, Naomi.

Courtesy Mario Alex Joseph

Mario Alex Joseph and his family’s small business, HoodSkulls®, will donate the after market accessories they make to an Israel Defense Forces unit.

Months of prep pay off for Bionica robotics team

work we put in during the season pay off,” said Sidrah Ashrafi, a co-captain of the team, which calls itself Bionica.

The team competed in a number of regional events to earn their spot at the championship.

FIRST — For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — is a global nonprofit that hosts team robotics competitions for kindergartners through high school seniors. There are state competitions around the country, and New York and California host regional events, with the season culminating at the championship.

Ia vacuum.”

This school year the students were asked to design a robot that performed tasks showcasing motor skills and efficiency. Bionica has met most Fridays since September from 3 to 9 p.m. to develop its robot.

t was so nice, so rewarding to see the fruits of our labor, and that all the hard work we put in during the season pay off.

At events on Long Island, as many as two dozen teams compete for awards in categories with names like Inspire, Think, Connect and Innovate,

SIdrah aShrafI

Throughout the year, team members have also shared their skills with elementary-school students in the Hewlett-Woodmere District at science nights and after-school programs.

“Robotics — it’s not just about the robot, the technical skills and stuff, we do a lot more community outreach,” Rachel Chen, a Bionica co-captain, said.

Bionica earned first and second place in the Inspire category, the highest honor at Long Island qualifying competitions in January and February, to earn an invitation to the Houston

“It felt so rewarding,” Ashrafi said.

Torresson has been coaching Bionica since 2016. Hewlett High has sent one of its three teams to the championship in each of the past three years, their other two teams named Roboboo-

“It is a proud moment for any princi-

Championships,” Hewlett High Principal Alexandra Greenberg wrote in a statement. “It is an even prouder moment to have a qualifying team three years in a row, but it is the proudest moment to have the All Girl Robotics team perform at the highest regional levels and travel to the World Championships to represent Hewlett-Woodmere!”

Bionica will compete against other qualifiers in Houston April 17-20.

Torresson said she was excited to

“It’s like in the Olympics, when you’re suddenly in line to get the bronze medal and someone saying you have the skill if you do these things, to get the gold,” Torresson said. “You don’t necessarily see your success (throughout the building process), because you’re not measuring that.”

She also said she was thrilled to see an all-girls team do so well.

“Bionica has this piece that they’re very well aware that what they’re doing is not the norm for females,” Torresson

Courtesy Janine Torresson Aarya Raina, far left, Aviv Paz, Ella Findling, Mila Profiloski, Rachel Chen, Sidrah Ashrafi, Joanna Chen, Valeria Paez and Maree Drayling with their qualifying trophy in a regional robotics tournament, where they qualified for the FIRST Championship.

HERALD SPORTS

Hofstra aims for conference tournament

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

After just missing out on reaching its postseason conference tournament for a second straight year, the Hofstra men’s lacrosse team is sharply focused on extending its 2024 season into the month of May.

The Pride entered the final season game against Stony Brook in a win or go home scenario and fell 11-10 to its Long Island rivals and missed out on a tiebreaker for the final spot in the fourteam league tournament to compete for an automatic qualifier into the NCAA Tournament. The Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) preseason coaches poll projects Hofstra to finish fifth in the eight-team conference, which would leave Hofstra just shy once again of the postseason.

“After losing the tiebreaker two years in a row it doesn’t sit well with us,” said longtime Hofstra head coach Seth Tierney.

Hofstra enters the start of CAA play this weekend at 3-4 following a 21-9 loss to 18th-ranked North Carolina at home last Saturday in the program’s first meeting with the ACC power since 2018.

Junior attackman John Madsen (21 goals) and redshirt junior midfielder Rory Jones (16 goals) have paced the offense so far this season. Madsen, a Locust Valley High School graduate, tallied 27 points as a junior, while Jones neatly set a program record for goals in a game with eight in a season-opening 21-9 win against Wagner.

Madsen and Jones lead a deep Hofstra offense featuring multiple scoring options including Colton Rudd, Griffin Turner and Justin Sykes.

A key part of assuring Hofstra is in the offensive end of the field for much

of the game is the play of graduate student faceoff specialist Chase Patterson, who earned preseason All-CAA honors. Patterson led the CAA in faceoff win -

ning percentage at 59.5 percent last year and is at 60 percent through seven games this season.

“He’s been very self motivated and won some big face offs for us,” said Tierney of Patterson. “He very much thinks like a coach as even after a successful game he finds the negatives, he finds the ones that he missed and he continues to work each week to miss less and less.”

The defense is led by redshirt sophomore goalie Sean Henderson, who recorded 19 saves in a 17-13 victory against St. John’s on Feb. 13. Graduate student goalie Max May, a Hewlett High School product who previously played goalie at Muhlenberg College, serves as a solid backup behind Henderson and tallied three saves at the end of the Wagner game.

“They push each other every day in practice and no one can take a day off,”: said Tierney of his two top goalies. “Right now we are staying with what we’re staying with, but Max is right there ready to go to help the team when necessary.”

The starting defense in front of Hen-

derson features Henry Troy, Will Delaney and Blake Cooling. Graduate student long stick defensive midfielder is also a key component of the defense and earned All-CAA preseason accolades after playing 14 games at North Carolina last season.

The Hofstra defensive unit also features two local players in redshirt sophomore Ryan Kiernan, a Rockville Centre native and Chaminade graduate, along with junior short-stick defensive midfielder Chris Barry, an East Meadow High School alum.

The CAA season kicks off Saturday at Fairfield followed by a March 23 road trip to two-time defending champion Delaware. The conference home opener is set for March 30 against Monmouth at 1 p.m.

Hofstra’s late season schedule also includes an April 16 non-league game against Yale at 7 p.m., which will mark the program’s first meeting with the Ivy League school since 1995.

“They are a tremendous team with a lot of talent,” said Tierney of Yale. “It is another opportunity to sharpen our swords against a quality opponent.”

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletics Communications

Midfielder Rory Jones is off to a strong start for the Pride with 16 goals through seven games, including eight in the seasonopening victory over Wagner.

Attack John Madsen, a Locust Valley product, leads the Pride with 21 goals.

5T Community Center’s future is unclear

plans to renew it. It issued a request for proposal over a year ago, seeking an organization to provide youth-oriented services.

Syd Mandelbaum, CEO of Rock and Wrap It Up!, a Cedarhurst-based organization that donates food and seeks to prevent wasteful practices, has collaborated with Young to provide food for Gammy’s Pantry, hosting holiday feast events and at times operating a veterans farmers market at the community center.

“I’m the main supplier of food to the community center, and we hope to continue to support the Five Towns Community Center,” Mandelbaum said. “We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to continue the veterans farmers market out of the community center.”

Mandelbaum said he was certain, based on conversations with County Executive Bruce Blakeman, that the demand for this type of facility would be met.

“I got assurance from Bruce Blakeman that all the needs of the community will be filled if and when they select another patron that will be there,” Mandelbaum said. “I have a lot of trust in Bruce.”

Gwynn Campbell, president of the community center’s board of directors, said it was uncertain what would happen to all of Young’s initiatives.

“If we are blessed enough to continue to be able to be there, then we’ll just continue to build, we’ll recruit for those roles,” Campbell said. She added that the board plans to continue with the pantry after a restructuring, because there is a need in the community, but the reorganization plans are not yet certain.

“Right now, we would have to entertain who would be interested in being a part of it, volunteer or working,” Campbell said, “but it’s really hard to say because I don’t know everybody. There’s some people that have interest … but I haven’t met them. I didn’t actually open the door — I didn’t say, ‘Oh, I’m looking for someone,’ and I have not done that because I really think it’s too premature.”

Young and 15 community center volunteers will be presented with the Pathfinder Award by the Town of Hempstead at a future ceremony as Young and Councilwoman Melissa Miller, the presenter could not attend the March 7 Pathfinder Award Ceremony.

Parker Schug/Herald Sasha Young has stepped down from her position at the Five Towns Community Center after years of serving area children, teens and families at the pantry she directs, in addition to camps and other programs.

What’s neWs in and out of the classroom

HERALD SchoolS

Digging the spikes, creating fun memories

The doors opened before 5 p.m. for pizza and socializing. Then the real fun began.

Teachers from the Franklin Early Childhood Center, Hewlett Elementary School, Hewlett High, Ogden Elementary School and Woodmere Middle School looked to dig, kill and spike at the fifth annual Hewlett-Woodmere Staff Volleyball Championship Fundraiser in the high school gym on March 7.

Students and others wore T-shirts in the school colors: Franklin, purple; Hewlett Elementary, blue; high school, gray; Ogden Elementary, green; and middle school, red. The Woodmere Middle School team took home the trophy.

Cheering was loud and the gym was electric and the $5 admission collected at the door benefited the senior class for its after-prom party.

— Jeffrey Bessen

Photos courtesy Michelle Smith

The Franklin Early Childhood Center, Hewlett Elementary School, Hewlett High, Ogden Elementary School and Woodmere Middle School teams, the Bulldog mascot and trophy at the staff volleyball championship on March 8.

The action between all the teams was hard fought. Ogden Elementary School in green against the eventual champs Woodmere Middle School.

Students came out strong for their schools, including the kids from Hewlett Elementary School.

Franklin Early Childhood Center staff showed their support for their colleagues playing in the volleyball competition.

Defending against an invisible enemy

Can laws solve the problems of noise pollution?

By Nicole Formisano & Will Sheeline

Continuing a series exploring the impact pollution from air, noise and light has on our communities and way of life. Thoughts? Questions? Ideas? Email us at execeditor@liherald.com.

How can local representatives protect people from an invisible, ever-present hazard? That’s the question small governments across Nassau County have been trying to answer when it comes to noise pollution — all to varying degrees of success.

“Inevitably, you might be creating a standard that is unfair, that is inequitable,” said Kevin Walsh, an attorney who’s helped draft noise ordinances for municipalities like Malverne and Farmingdale. “Not because it isn’t applied equally, but because it hurts people that don’t have a problem with it.”

Noise pollution — excessive or frequent noise — is said to come with health risks like increased stress, hypertension and sleep disruption, according to the World Health Organization. But for some communities, dealing with excessive noise is nothing new.

Glen Cove’s noise ordinance, for example, has been largely unchanged since 1997, limiting noise that is “clearly audible at 50 feet.” Village ordinances for Sea Cliff — dating back to 1995 with updates more than a decade ago — define unreasonable noise as any constant, continuous or repetitive loud sound which “annoys” or “disturbs” the peace and comfort of neighboring residents.

But — despite what neighbors of barking dogs or chronic partiers may

wish — there is no legal definition of “annoying.” Noise ordinances often use subjective language, because noise pollution is a subjective experience, Walsh said. Sound that irks one neighbor may be hardly noticeable by another.

Finding a way to differentiate

“It’s difficult because it’s trying to regulate human behavior,” he said. “When you try to regulate people’s enjoyment of their existence like this, on relatively subjective degrees, it’s a problem.”

When someone wants to play music while their neighbor wants their child to go to sleep, where does law enforcement draw the line? The incongruous — yet equally defensible — interests are “making it more and more difficult to get a balance between what is acceptable noise and what is not,” Walsh said.

Finding that balance

So, the question becomes, what is a fair standard to regulate noise? Do municipalities put the noise limit at the lower end to shield more sensitive people, and risk discouraging others from enjoying time outside?

Or do municipalities create more lenient ordinances that allow more noise, and risk leaving sensitive people unprotected?

“It’s a no-win situation, because, inevitably, you make one person happy. You’re making one person sad.”

Managing these conflicting expectations can result in local officials walking a tightrope. But Elena Villafane, Sea Cliff’s mayor, says that is an inherent part of serving the community.

“So, as with every local government, where you are managing how people reside in a community together, you’re always balancing a variety of interests.” she said. “Right now, we seem to be at a happy equilibrium.”

It’s a balancing act Glen Cove has had to grapple with.

“It is a very subjective criteria when one person’s noise pollution is another person’s ‘fun time,’ so to speak,” said Christopher Ortiz, deputy chief of the Glen Cove Police Department. “So, in that sense, it is difficult trying to precisely determine what is an excessive amount of noise, and it becomes kind of a gray area.”

And that “fun time” is on the rise, especially since Covid-19. People these days are spending more time in their backyards since the pandemic, Walsh said.

Malverne mayor Tim Sullivan noticed that trend as well.

“What we found is, during Covid, a lot of homeowners invested in their backyards,” Sullivan said. “Whether pools, or outdoor bars and kitchens and sound systems. The backyard has become a renewed entertainment focus of the home.”

Sound-measuring technology,

though, has dramatically improved in the decades since those original laws were passed, Walsh said — another reason why more governments across the county are passing updated noise ordinances.

Malverne’s noise ordinance, passed in December, limits outdoor music to 80 decibels — about the noise level of a vacuum cleaner — measured at the property line. Glen Cove considers 65 decibels — about the noise level of a conversation — “disturbing,” but also allows for subjectivity by employing a standard of whether the noise is “clearly audible” at 50 feet.

Too many variables?

But even something seemingly objective — such as a measurable standard like decibel level — presents new obstacles. A noise level that constitutes a nuisance to one neighbor may not bother another.

Sometimes, Walsh said, police will visit a property that is technically violating the noise ordinance, but the officer will personally find that the sound level or quality shouldn’t break the law.

So even with a measurable standard, enforcement is subjective.

And the actual sound level isn’t the only thing that matters — the source does, too.

Things like fire whistles and barking dogs polarize neighbors, Villafane said. Gas-powered leaf blowers are another malefactor that often earn their own section of noise ordinances.

The city ordinances also differentiate between how much noise various types of properties can make at different

Herald file photo

In growing numbers, local villages are passing noise ordinance to curb excessive or unwanted noise in their neighborhoods. But airplanes — perhaps the biggest noisemakers — are beyond local jurisdiction. The Town of Hempstead is working with the Federal Aviation Administration, but with little success.

Noise laws are often subjective, experts say

times. For example, a private residence can be penalized for making 50 decibels or more of noise after 10 p.m., and before 7 a.m., while a commercial property operating at the same time would need to reach 70 decibels before neighbors can make a complaint.

These different standards for businesses and private residences can sometimes boil over in communities. Because Long Island is very much suburbia, Walsh said, the interests of commercial and residential parts of towns often conflict — commercial districts often create more noise, which is at odds with the interests of residential communities that typically neighbor them.

Fly-by-night (and day) noise

But the arguably biggest culprits of excessive noise may also be the hardest to manage. The constant drone of airplanes flying overhead is seemingly ever-present, but comes with its own challenges.

With John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports right next door, neighbors across the county are dealing with the near-constant drone of planes flying overhead.

The Town of Hempstead created the Town-Village Aircraft Safety and Noise Abatement Committee to deal specifically with this nuisance. But try as they might, local government has no sway over the conduct of airplanes — that’s all the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Everyone wants airlines to be safe,” said James Vilardi, the noise abatment committee’s executive director. “But is there a way to maintain the highest levels of airplane safety, and to accom-

modate the residents on the ground that are dealing with the airplane influence? We maintain that there is.”

The committee’s primary goal right now is to get accurate, specific decibel readings from FAA monitors.

The problem, Vilardi said, is the information the FAA provides right now is warped because the decibel readings are averaged out among neighborhoods.

But if the committee gets the raw data and finds that the decibels violate municipal or federal code, they can appeal to the FAA to make changes.

The FAA, however, is largely unwilling to even acknowledge the noise abatement committee.

“It’s difficult to make changes in their policy without them being willing to talk to us,” Vilardi said. “We’re pushing as hard as we can to get this data so we can have a real conversation with them.

“Unfortunately, it’s a problem that our residents face, that our local elected officials do not have the power to directly impact. “There’s no way that the supervisor — or the county executive, or even a congressman — can say ‘OK, stop flying over Franklin Square.’ Or ‘fly 20 feet higher.’

“They just don’t have the jurisdiction to do it.”

The timeline for progress is in the air, so to speak, until the federal agency finally has a dialogue with the town.

In the meantime, local governments are still striving for progress in the fight against noise pollution using new and updated noise ordinances. Although noise is largely inescapable, its excess can be mitigated when we focus on what we can control, experts say — local government’s responsibility to us, and our responsibility to each other.

Subjectivity often comes into play when it comes to enforcing noise laws. Some things that break the typical decibel limit, like fireworks on the fourth of July, are more acceptable than others, like loud music at 2 a.m.

Herald

By MOHAMMAD RAFIQ mrafiq@liherald.com

The Town of Hempstead is gearing up once again to a job fair — this one scheduled for Thursday, March 21 at the Freeport Recreation Center.

Appointments are already filling up for the event, set to run between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., at the center, located at 130 E. Merrick Road — all aimed to connect job seekers with prospective employers.

HempsteadWorks — a branch of the town’s occupational services department — has hosted the fair since 2021. Established more than 40 years ago, HempsteadWorks serves as a career center for not only the town, but also for Long Beach. Its primary mission is to provide access to training, develop skills, and share job opportunities across various industries, including health care, construction and manufacturing.

“Our primary goal is to help people within our township to better themselves, promote , careers that are up and coming, provide them access to training and skills,” said Nene Alameda, a business representative who works for the town.

“And if they don’t have those skills, we we give them access to occupational skills training.”

More than 85 such companies already

have registered to participate in the Freeport job fair, That includes prominent entities like the U.S. Postal Service, the New York Police Department, Mount Sinai Hospital, Brookhaven National Lab, Amazon, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

“We have the job fair to make sure that companies who are looking for people are partnered with people who are looking for jobs,” Alameda said.

The fair is experiencing radical growth in every iteration, Alameda adds, growing from fewer than 1,000 attendees in 2021, to more than 2,100 in its most recent outing. For next week’s event, more than 1,100 job seekers have

already signed up.

This rapid growth has produced long lines. To make everything more convenient, HempsteadWorks has instituted a time slot-based registration system, which job seekers can sign up for at HempsteadWorks.com/jobfair.

This registration system already was in effect last year, Alameda said, cutting down the wait from two hours to almost nothing.

The first hour of the fair, beginning at 9:30, is dedicated to veterans and people with disabilities. But no matter what time you sign up, attendees are advised to bring several copies of their resume.

Caroline Coyne, a 22-year-old Maris College graduate, says her current job hunt “has been pretty terrible.”

“It seems like there’s an oversaturation of applications because so many people are getting laid off and so many people didn’t get jobs during Covid when they were graduating,” she said. “So now, along with the 2022 graduates, you have the 2023 and the upcoming 2024. And everybody’s just trying to find their way at the same time.”

But, Alameda said, it’s important to remain optimistic and not despair.

“For every job seeker that’s out there, there (are) two positions,” she said. “Employers are in dire need of workers.”

In fact, the HempsteadWorks job fairs have likely helped at least 500 people find jobs directly in recent years. The end of pandemic-era benefits may also play a role in the sudden increase of people looking for work, as those bonuses and extra money are no longer available.

“As the largest and most diverse township in America, the Town of Hempstead is dedicated to leading the way in job creation and economic growth throughout the community,” said Town Supervisor Don Clavin, in a release.

“With dozens of employers participating in this year’s HempsteadWorks Job Fair, we encourage all job-seekers to come on down to the Freeport Recreation Center on March 21.”

Nicole Formisano/Herald

STEPPING OUT

JigJam

Spring forth by donning some green

Savor the flavor of St. Patrick’s Day

By Karen Bloom

Spring is in our sights and we’re sure ready for its embrace. The arrival of St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday always is a welcome harbinger of the season. Enjoy some of the lively parades nearby, even a concert, and certainly bring St. Patrick’s Day into your home with some tasty Irish cuisine. Favorites include corned beef and cabbage, and, of course, soda bread.

Among these quintessential Irish foods, Irish Soda Bread is a tempting quick bread that everyone enjoys and is quite easy to make. It gets its name from the baking soda used as a leavener, instead of yeast. While the traditional version is made with only flour, buttermilk, salt and baking soda, consider adding a modern version to your repertoire.

Classic Irish Soda Bread

• 3 cups pastry flour blend or unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• Heaping 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup currants or raisins

• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, optional

• 1 large egg

• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Topping:

• 1 tablespoon milk

• 1 tablespoon coarse white sparkling sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the pastry blend or flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants, and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl, or in a measuring cup, whisk together the egg and buttermilk (or milk and yogurt).

Quickly and gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Stir in the melted butter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Draw your finger around the edge of the pan to create a “moat.” Drizzle the bread with the 1 tablespoon of milk; the moat will help prevent the milk from running down the sides of the loaf. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar.

Bake the bread for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean; the interior of the bread will measure 200°F to 210°F on a thermometer.

Remove the bread from the oven, loosen its edges, and after five minutes turn it out onto a rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing. Wrap airtight and store at room temperature.

Serve with hot tea and organic jam, Irish stew, traditional Irish cabbage dishes, or enjoy on its own!

Savory Irish Cheese Soda Bread

• 2 1/2 cups flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons caraway seed

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper, ground

• 1/2 cup shredded Irish Cheddar cheese

• 2 eggs

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and seasonings in large bowl. Stir in cheese. Set aside. Mix eggs and buttermilk in medium bowl. Add to dry ingredients; stir until well blended. Spread in lightly grease 9-inch round cake pan.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Tip: Make muffins instead of bread. Prepare dough as directed and divide among 12 greased muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Irish Soda Bread Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 1/2 cups currants (first choice) or raisins

• 1/2 to 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, to taste

• 1 large egg

• 1 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream

• 6 tablespoons butter, melted; or 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• sparkling white sugar, for topping

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a standard muffin pan; or line with papers, and grease the papers.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, currants or raisins, and caraway seeds.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk (or equivalent) and melted butter (or equivalent).

Quickly and gently combine the dry and wet ingredients; honestly, this won’t take more than a few stirs with a bowl scraper or large spoon. As soon as everything is evenly moistened, quit; further stirring will cause the muffins to be tough.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling the cups about 3/4 full; the stiff batter will look mounded in the cups. Top with sparkling white sugar, if desired.

Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove them from the oven. Tip the muffins in the pan, so their bottoms don’t get soggy. Wait five minutes, then transfer the muffins to a rack to cool. Serve them plain, or with butter and/or jam.

When virtuoso Irish playing jumps the pond running through the wide open fields of bluegrass and Americana, JigJam is born. This Offaly- and Tipperary-born band has started the Irish invasion of Americana with an injection of the magic of Scottish folk music. The lads — described as ‘The best Irish band in bluegrass’ and ‘sparkling, infectious’ — bring their footstomping vibe to Long Island for a lively St. Patrick’s Day celebration. Founding members from Offaly Jamie McKeogh (lead singer and guitar) and Daithi Melia (five-string banjo and Dobro) were joined by Tipperary-born Gavin Strappe (mandolin and tenor banjo) in 2016. They’ve since added Glasgow native Danny Hunter (fiddle) to make up this iGrass (Irish Bluegrass) quartet. With a sounded rooted in Irish music and Irish immigration, the Irish have found their prodigal son in JigJam.

Saturday, March 16, 8 p.m.

$38.14-$49.48. Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at LandmarkOnMainStreet.org or (516) 767-6444.

Blippi

The colorful YouTube sensation known as Blippi is ready to delight preschoolers when The Wonderful World tour visits Tilles Center. Families will dance, sing and learn with Blippi and special guest, Meekah, as everyone discovers how different cities are unique and special. Will there be monster trucks, excavators, and garbage trucks galore? You bet! So get ready to shake those wiggles out and O.J. Twist your way through this musical party. The lively show expands upon creator Stevin John’s engaging world that inspires curiosity in young families. Clad in his iconic blue and orange outfit, Blippi — along with best friend Meekah — clearly excites preschoolers with experiences that are relatable and accessible and make learning fun. Kids 4 and younger quickly respond to Blippi’s endearing personality as they explore the world around them through adventures that relate to everyday life, involving fire trucks, zoos, animals, and so much more.

Tuesday, March 19, 6 p.m. Tickets start at $32. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Classic Irish Soda Bread

Savory Irish Cheese Soda Bread

Soda Bread Muffins

THE Your Neighborhood

March 23

Comedy’s ‘Ivy League’

The Ivy League of Comedy is the premier group of stand-up comedians touring America. Known for their elite brand of clever comedy, you’ve heard their brilliant comedic voices on latenight TV and Comedy Central. Now come see them live when Carmen Lynch, Ryan Reiss and Shaun Eli bring their act to the Madison Theatre, Saturday, March 23 , 8 p.m. Lynch, who made it to the semi-finals of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” is known for her deadpan delivery and riffs on life. A rising star from a bi-lingual family, who lived in Spain as a child, she’s appeared on a string of late night TV shows. Shes’s also appeared “Inside Amy Schumer,” “That Damn Michael Che,” “Life & Beth,” and the documentary “Hysterical.” Funnyman Reis, also a writer-actor, began his career while attending NYU, and quickly became a favorite act on the scene. He made his network TV debut on “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” His quit wit, instant likeability and unique way of engaging any audience have made him one of the most sought-after comics on the club circuit and a favorite audience warm up performer. Eli has rightfully been called one of America’s smartest comics. Whether it’s a story about dining with a vegetarian or successfully fighting a parking ticket in criminal court, master storyteller Eli shows you that there’s hilarity in the ordinary if you approach life with a comedic warp. Even job interviews. For just about anything he’s experienced he has hilarious stories at the ready. $45-$50. Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at MadisonTheatreNY.org or (516) 323-4444.

Family theater

Inspired by L. Frank Baum’s stories, this clever adaptation puts the audience front and center, literally, on the Long Island Children’s Museum stage, Friday, March 15, 10:15 a.m., noon, 6:15 p.m. (sensoryfriendly performance); Saturday, March 16, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, March 20-21,10:15 a.m. and noon. Kids become cast members, singing dancing, and acting on stage alongside the professional cast. One of the museum’s most interactive shows, it received rave reviews in its prior run. Going beyond the traditional telling of the Oz stories, the performance uses personal journal entries and historic newspaper headlines to bring the history of L. Frank Baum and illustrator W.W. Denslow to life. Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion take the audience with them on this lively, playful trip down the yellow brick road. $10 with museum admission ($8 members), $14 theater only. Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or LICM.org.

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, “Urban Art Evolution,” is a comprehensive exhibit featuring a diverse range of compositions from the 1980s through the present by creators who were based in the rough and tumble downtown area of New York City known as Loisaida/LES (Lower East Side/East Village) and close surrounding neighborhoods.

Artists pushed the boundaries of what was considered “art” with a primary focus on street/graffiti art. The exhibit’s scope, guest curated by art collector/gallerist Christopher Pusey, offers an even broader view from other creative residents, who worked inside their studios but still contributed to the rich fabric of the downtown art scene from different vantage points and aesthetics.

Works include sculpture, paintings, photography, music, and ephemera from many noted and influential artists.

Opens March 23, on view through July 7. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

March 7

Weekly Parsha

Chabad of the Five Towns welcomes all to its weekly Parsha class for men and women, Thursdays, at 7:30 p.m. Join R’Yanky Feder for discussion at the Levi Yitzchak Library. 564 Central Ave., in Cedarhurst.

Author visit Hewlett resident Kenneth Karcinell will be in the Boehm

Parsha & Pizza

Join Rabbi Steve Graber at Temple Beth El of Cedarhurst for Parsha & Pizza, on Thursday, March 28, at 6:30 p.m., for a religious discussion with dinner. All congregants welcome to the event, hosted by Temple Beth El, Temple

Hillel, Sephardic Temple and Hewlett East Rockaway Jewish Centre. 46 Locust Ave., in Cedarhurst. Visit TempleBethElOfCedarhurst.

March 27

Literary conversation

Poet-essayist Elizabeth Schmermund, who is an assistant professor of English at SUNY Old Westbury, reads from her works, as part of Hofstra University’s Great Writers Great Readings series, Wednesday, March 27, 4:30 p.m.

In concert

Plaza Theatrical welcomes spring with a lively tribute to The Temptations, Saturday, March 23, 7:30 p.m. Groove along with The Fellas, in their concert “Just My Imagination,” a powerful salute to the Motown icons. Enjoy all those great tunes, including “Just My Imagination,” “My Girl,” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and more. See the concert at Plaza’s stage at the Elmont Library Theatre. 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $40, $35 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870

Set clear expectations about avoiding alcohol

Premier Rehabs gets nursing care Gold Seal

The Five Towns Premier Rehab and Nursing Center in Woodmere was awarded accreditation from The Joint Commission, earning the Gold Seal of Approval for Nursing Care Center Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards after a rigorous review.

The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to work in a facility that is second to none in terms of quality and compassionate

care. The people we care for are our number one priority and it shows each and every day,” Joseph Benden, administrator at The Five Towns Premier said in a news release.

A team of Joint Commission reviewers evaluated compliance with Nursing Care Center standards spanning several areas, including emergency management, environment of care, infection prevention and control, leadership, medication management, and rights and responsibilities of the individual.

The standards are developed in consultation with health care experts and

providers, measurement experts and patients. Scientific literature and expert consensus to help health care organizations measure, assess and improve performance are also part of creating the standards. The reviewers also conducted onsite observations and interviews.

“As a health care accreditor, The Joint Commission works with health care organizations across care settings to inspire safer and higher quality of care that is more equitable and compassionate,” Ken Grubbs, executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification

Operations and Chief Nursing Officer for the Joint Commission said in the release.

“Through collaborating on innovative solutions and evidence-based resources and tools, the Joint Commission helps drive improvement while maintaining accountability through our leading survey methods and standards,” Grubbs added.. “We commend The Five Towns Premier Rehab and Nursing Center for its commitment to advance safety, quality, equity, and compassion for all patients.”

— Jeffrey Bessen

Five Towners excelling academically

Ryan Player, Hewlett High School Class of 2022, is attending University of South Carolina Honors College and is in his second half of sophomore year. Player earned President’s List honors (4.0 grade-point average) in his first freshman year semester, while pledging and being accepted into Phi Kappa Sigma, and was on the dean’s list (3.9) his second freshman semester and returned to the President’s List in his first sophomore semester.

He was accepted in Alpha Kappa Psi, the country’s largest business fraternity and captured first place in the presti -

gious case competition with Ernst & Young.

Reyan Ali, from Cedarhurst, Hibah Ansari and Emily Babelov, both of Hewlett, and Angela Aguirre and Julia Parnes, both of Woodmere, were named to the University of Buffalo’s fall semester dean’s list.

To qualify for this academic honor, full-time undergraduate students must attain at least a 3.60 grade-point average and complete a minimum of 15 credits, of which 22 are grades (A to F) credits.

Cedarhurst resident Alex Abraham earned a Master of Science in computer

science degree from Georgia Tech during the Georgia Institute of Technology’s 265th commencement Dec. 15 to 16 at McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta.

Among the SUNY Cortland students who made the fall semester dean’s list that was Trevor Foster, from Atlantic Beach, who is majoring on K-12 physical education; Hewlett residents Brandon Ben-Ari, Brianna Mcmahon and Gilad Shafir.

Ben Ari is studying adolescence education: social studies and history. Mcmahon’s major is psychology and Shafir majors in sports management. Carla

Giordonello, of Inwood, is also a psychology major. Students must attain a minimum 3.3 GPA for the semester to be eligible.

Inwood resident Mikhayl Raveneau was named to the SUNY Morrisville President’s List for the fall semester. To earn this distinction, students must attain a perfect 4.0 GPA for the semester and complete 12 credit hours.

Genesis Contrerara, from Inwood, a senior at Le Moyne College who is majoring in psychology made the fall semester dean’s list. A GPA of 3.5 or higher is required. — Jeffrey Bessen

Cedarhurst to hold meeting on proposed district seawall

In response to the Lawrence school district’s proposed building of a seawall on the Lawrence High School campus in Cedarhurst, the Village of Cedarhurst is holding a meeting at Village Hall, 200 Cedarhurst Ave., on Thursday, March 14 at 7 p.m.

The seawall would surround the high school campus on Reilly Road, to safeguard the property from the impacts of future severe weather events and avoid a repeat of the damage the building sustained in Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

The district applied for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after Sandy, when then President Barack Obama declared parts of the northeast a major disaster area. The estimated cost of the seawall project is $75 million, and the bulk of the funding would come from FEMA, Lawrence Board of Education President Murray Foreman previously said.

Village officials urge the community to attend the pub-

lic hearing and voice their opinions on what they are calling “this significant development impacting our community.”

Cedarhurst representatives said that despite requests to FEMA, the state’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and the Lawrence Board of Education for a public hearing, village officials are taking a “proactive stance” hosting the meeting. FEMA officials have said it is the school district’s responsibility to hold a hearing.

“FEMA has committed to attending, emphasizing the importance of your input,” Cedarhurst officials said in a news release. “Invitations have been extended to the school board and Homeland Security, underling the village’s commitment to fostering an open dialogue that reflects the concerns of residents and neighboring communities.”

— Jeffrey Bessen

wMuch to highlight on the high school scene

ith many upcoming vacations in March and April, as well as incoming Advanced Placement exams in May, Hewlett High School have a lot to anticipate.

For Holocaust Remembrance Day, Hewlett High, hosted an event to honor Holocaust awareness, where the school partnered with the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County to have Mireille Taub, a Holocaust survivor, share her story with students during certain periods of the school day. On a similar note, the Hebrew Culture Club has also been recently established, designed to tackle rising antisemitism in the world. It is a student-directed club, with an emphasis on sharing and teaching about Hebrew culture. They meet every other Wednesday after classes end.

their exceptional skills and innovation during the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge Regionals event. Their awesome performance not only secured their place among the top contenders but also earned them the incredible opportunity to advance to the international championship, which is held in Houston.

hewlett happenings

On the topic of awards, results for the first round of the New York State Science and Engineering Fair have been announced! Sidrah Ashrafi, Dylan Butler, Emily Smukler, Darsh Chavre, Naomi Golbin, Samuel Hsu, Ariella Golbin, Noah Breomme, and Jacob Heldt have all successfully moved on to the second round of NYSSEF, which is a lightning round held on March 25 at the New York Hall of Science.

Battle of the classes, held on March 1, was a major success for the student council. Various events, like European handball, hockey, dodgeball, volleyball, aca demic bowl, and even pie-eating, were fea tured. The theme this year was decades. The freshmen represented the 1970s in red, the sophomores represented the 1980s in purple, the juniors represented the 1990s in blue, and the seniors represented the 2000s in black.

Darsh Chavre

Another success for Terrence Bissoondial, Hewlett-Woodmere school district’s science research coordinator, is his award at the Harvard Club of Long Island’s distinguished teachers ceremony, where Hiral Milind Chavre nominated Bissoondial for his incredible work in assisting her with science research, enabling her to be selected as a top 300 Regeneron Science Talent Search Finalist in 2023. She now pursues research at

Bionica, the robotics team, showcased

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF TAX LIEN SALE VILLAGE OF ATLANTIC BEACH

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 1452 and 1454 of the Real Property Tax Law of the State of NY that the following is a list of real estate tax in the Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach upon which 2023/2024 taxes are unpaid as shown in the tax list on file with the Village Clerk, together with amounts of the tax, interest and charges thereon.

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that on April 1, 2024 at 10:30 AM in the forenoon of said day, a lien on the aforesaid parcels of real estate will be sold at public auction in the Atlantic Beach Village Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, NY, to discharge the tax, fees, interest and charges of aforesaid which may be due thereon at the time of such sale.

All parcels located in Section 58

BLOCK LOTS LEGAL ADDRESS TOTAL

12 11 Chris McMahon, 139 Coronado St. $ 1,842.89

12 14-16 Chris McMahon, 139 Coronado St. $ 174.76

55 29 Mildred Wolf, 47 Fulton Avenue $ 1,677.89

75 34 Haci Alper Tutus, 2010 Park St. $ 192.84

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

EMILY SINISCALCHI, VILLAGE CLERK

HERBERT A. KLIBANOFF, TREASURER

DATED: MARCH 5, 2023

145372

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 12

CLANCY PROPERTIES,

LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 04/25/2023.

NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to:

Russell McRory c/o

ArentFox Schiff LLP, 1301 Avenue of the Americas, 42nd Floor, New York, NY 10119.

Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity 144829

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

NASSAU COUNTY

CHRISTIANA TRUST AS

CUSTODIAN FOR GSRANZ

LLC, Plaintiff against 88 DUTCHESS, LLC, et al Defendant(s)

Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Hersko & Ehrenreich P.C., 555 Willow Avenue, Cedarhurst, NY 11516.

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered November 15, 2023, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 26, 2024 at 3:30 PM, all that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being, and identified on the land and tax map of the County of Nassau in the State of New York, the premises known as 88 Dutchess St., Atlantic Beach, NY 11509. Sec 58

Block 056 Lot 1 Group Lot 1-2. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $7,938.57 plus interest, fees, and costs and attorneys fees. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 603293/2022.

The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce

any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction.

Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee File # 18-4794 145022

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

RBS CITIZENS, NA F/K/A CHARTER ONE BANK, Plaintiff -against- LAVERN BECKFORD AND NEVILLE

LEWIS, et al Defendant(s).

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated September 26, 2018, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at (CCP) Calendar Control

Part Court Room of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Dr., Mineola, NY on April 2,

2024 at 3:00 p.m. premises situate, lying and being at Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, bounded and described as follows:

BEGINNING at a point on the Southerly side of Cedarhurst Street, distant 537.35 feet Westerly and Southwesterly as measured along the southerly and Southeasterly side of Duston Road from the extreme Westerly end of the arc of a curve which connects the Southerly side of Duston Road with the Westerly side of Oakleigh Road; being a plot 129.43 feet by 10.89 feet by 121.28 feet by 112.71 feet by 37.82 feet.

Section: 39 Block: 549

Lot: 41.

All bidders must wear a face mask/shield at all times and social distancing must be observed by all bidders at all times. Bidders who do not comply with the face mask and/or the social distancing mandate will be removed from the auction.

Said premises known as 1069 DUSTON ROAD, NORTH WOODMERE, NY 11581

filed Judgment Index #609151/2021. Cash will not be accepted. This foreclosure sale will be held on the north side steps of the Courthouse, rain or shine. COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at the foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the sale.

Peter J. Famighetti, Esq., Referee Knuckles, Komosinski & Manfro, LLP, 565 Taxter Road, Suite 590, Elmsford, NY 10523, Attorneys for Plaintiff 145080

Approximate amount of lien $717,014.19 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney.

Index Number 011136/2014.

RALPH MADALENA, ESQ., Referee

David A. Gallo & Associates LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 47 Hillside Avenue, 2nd Floor, Manhasset, NY 11030

File# 5025.2735 {* NASSAU HER, NEWSDAY NA*} 145092

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. ALBERT D. SUROWIECKI

A/K/A ALBERT SUROWIECKI, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 6, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 2, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 966 Singleton Avenue, Woodmere, NY 11598.

All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 41, Block 28, Lots 105 and 823.

Approximate amount of judgment is $530,294.98 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK (BROOKLYN)

WINDWARD BORA, LLC.; Plaintiff v. OSNAT ZINNAR, et al;

Defendants

Attorneys for Plaintiff: Hasbani & Light, P.C., 450 7th Ave, Suite 1408, NY, NY 10123; (212) 643-6677

Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale granted herein on 2/12/24, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest bidder in the EDNY-Brooklyn, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

On April 4, 2024 at 9:30 AM.

Premises known as 965 Cedarhurst Street, North Woodmere, NY 11581

Section: 0039 Block: 00549-00 Lot: 00002

All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of New York.

As more particularly described in the judgment of foreclosure and sale. Sold subject to all of the terms and conditions contained in said judgment and terms of sale.

Approximate amount of judgment: $273,926.00 plus interest and costs.

Docket Number: 19cv-04533

Allan B. Mendelsohn, Esq., Referee 145274

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR J.P. MORGAN ALTERNATIVE

LOAN TRUST, 2006-S4, Plaintiff AGAINST RICKY PAUL GOLDIN A/K/A

RICKY PAULL GOLDIN; ET AL., Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 30, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on April 9, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 62 Broome Avenue A/K/A Broome Street, Atlantic

Beach, NY 11509. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION: 58, BLOCK: 58, LOT: 54, 55 AND 56. Approximate amount of judgment $1,400,598.54 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #014941/2012. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. Ronald J. Ferraro, Esq., Referee FEIN, SUCH & CRANE, LLP 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800 Rochester, NY 14614 SPSNY369 79647 145241

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter:

Agency: Board of Zoning Appeals Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Date: March 21, 2024

Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Village Hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Subject: Case # 23-08-6335, Sunny Atlantic Partners, LLC, 2035 Ocean Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Applicant proposes to renovate and elevate the existing caretaker structure, construct a 2car garage 20’ X22’ and new entrance platform. The applicant is seeking relief from the following sections of the Zoning Code: Section 250-74 Restrictions on uses. (B) Front, side, and rear yards. Each improved lot shall have a front yard setback of not less than 25 feet and side yards of not less than 10 feet for each yard. The rear yard is defined to be the open space contiguous to the southerly or shoreline side of each parcel and extending across the

entire width of same. There is no required rear yard depth for the purpose of this subsection. However, all other applicable restrictions affecting this area shall continue with full force and effect.

Proposed front yard setback for crawl space, garage, and entrance platform 1’-4”. D. Height.

(1) No building or structure shall be erected, altered, or used which has more than two stories with a maximum height of 28 feet to peak.

Proposed height 29’-4” measured from crown of road. Section 250-4

Continuation or change of legal nonconforming uses and buildings. (B). The physical area occupied by any legal nonconforming use shall not be expanded. (C). No legal nonconforming building may be expanded unless the use is expressly permitted in the regulations applicable to the district and not a legal nonconforming use, and either: (1) The proposed expansion does not increase the existing degree of nonconformity with the building area, structural and dimensional standards currently in effect in the district, or create a new nonconformity with respect thereto; or (2)

Any necessary area variances are granted by the Board of Zoning Appeals. Premises are also known as Section 58, Block 147, Lots 205-219 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map. All the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matter. All relevant documents may be inspected at the Building Department, 65 The Plaza during normal business hours.

Dated: March 5, 2024.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS

Josie Ficeto, Building Clerk 145463

LEGAL NOTICE

VILLAGE OF LAWRENCE

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Board of the Incorporated Village of Lawrence will hold a work session beginning at 6:45 P.M. followed by a public meeting on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at the

Lawrence Village Hall located at 196 Central Ave., Lawrence New York 11559 beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Moshe & Lynn Broide of 1030 New McNeil, Lawrence (Section 40, Block 109, Lot 35) for the subdivision of the property into two lots. Lot A will have an area of 13,984 square feet and Lot B will have an area of 12,455 square feet. The application and accompanying exhibits are on file and may be inspected at the Village Office during normal business hours between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

If anyone needs special accommodations for a disability, such person should contact the Village Clerk at least 5 days before the hearing. All interested parties will have the opportunity to be heard.

By Order of the Planning

Board Noah Fleschner

Chairman

Dated March 6, 2024 145464

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter:

Agency: Board of Zoning Appeals Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Date: March 21, 2024

Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Village Hall, 65

The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Subject: Case # 23-07-6303, Robert and Emily Rosenberg, 1960 Bay Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Applicant proposes to construct a new second story balcony. The applicants are seeking relief from the following sections of the Zoning Code: Section 250-.21 Lot Coverage. The lot shall not exceed 30% of the lot area. Proposed 31.59%.

Section 250-22 Front yard (B). In case of a corner lot, a front yard shall be required on each street, and, notwithstanding the foregoing, each front yard shall be not less than 25 feet, Proposed front yard setback Dutchess Boulevard 7’-5.5/8”

Premises are also known as Section 58, Block 78, Lot 33 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map. All the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matter.

All relevant documents may be inspected at the Building Department, 65

The Plaza during normal business hours.

Dated: March 6, 2024.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING

APPEALS

Josie Ficeto, Building Clerk 145462

Place a notice by phone at 516-569-4000 x232 or email: legalnotices@liherald.com

LEGAL NOTICE

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE

that a public hearing will be held as to the following matter:

Agency: Board of Zoning Appeals

Incorporated Village of Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Date: March 21, 2024

Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Village Hall, 65

The Plaza, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Subject: Case # 23-11-6395, Mitchell and Lauren Presser, 51 Montgomery Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, New York 11509

Applicant proposes to construct a second story addition, two story addition and interior alterations. The applicants are seeking relief from the following sections of the Zoning Code: Section 250-20

Height (A) In the case of a single-family dwelling, no building shall be greater in height than 2 1/2 stories, with a maximum height of 28 feet to peak for properties east of the street center line southbound of the west side of The Plaza and the east side of Acapulco Street north of Atlantic Boulevard. Proposed height 28’-10 Ω”. Section 250-.21 Lot Coverage. The lot shall not exceed 30% of the lot area. Existing lot coverage 30.02%, proposed 34.8%.

Premises are also known as Section 58, Block 48, Lots 26-28 on the Nassau County Land and Tax Map.

All the said time and place, all interested persons may be heard with respect to the foregoing matter. All relevant documents may be inspected at the Building Department, 65 The Plaza during normal business hours.

Dated: March 5, 2024.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ZONING

APPEALS

Josie Ficeto, Building Clerk 145461

Help Wanted

EDITOR/REPORTER

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

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Inside Sales

Help

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $33,280 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com

Call 516-569-4000 X286

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off.

Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com

or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS

FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDI-

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Q. I’m planning to redo my whole backyard, and I live on a waterway. I plan to have a swimming pool, open bar, cabana with a shower room at the back of it, running water, outdoor kitchen and a fire pit. The yard is sloping to the water, so the seawall (bulkhead) will have backfill and then a concrete patio with stone paving on top. The question came up, and I’m wondering, can I rest the concrete patio on top of my seawall, or should the patio be built separately and have a separate foundation? I’ve seen where some bulkheads were damaged in a previous storm, so I’m wondering, before I spend all this money, which way to go?

A. I recently returned from an ocean voyage that included South America and Antarctica. During the trip, we were detoured away from ports that had been damaged by storms, and after seeing the aftermath of seawall damage, as far as a mile upriver from a port entrance, I have a profound respect for what Mother Nature can do to bulkheads, no matter where they are.

Your bulkhead is intended to take average to extreme horizontal loads from a body of water impacting it. Just remember, though, that just like bridges and skyscrapers being designed to work with the extreme impact of forces from wind and water, with built-in expansion joints and the ability to rock back and forth, so too is your bulkhead moving much of the time. Because you plan to put a rigid construction made of concrete and pavers next to that seawall, you’ll need to realize and work with the dynamic movement, and concrete isn’t flexible. It may be strong, but it has very little ability to resist being twisted, lifted and shifted.

You’re better off considering the bulkhead as a buffer that can lessen the impacts of water and wind and build your concrete structure separately, with its own supports and with engineered reinforcement to work with the natural movement. This means more foundation support, expansion joints, and internal reinforcement. Not working with nature will mean working through experimentation and, ultimately, failure.

Another alternative is to build with wood materials and no backfill, since wood has greater flexibility. The problem is that wood — even chemically treated wood — tends to deteriorate, so if you’re going for a look of stone or concrete, you need to work with professionals who may cost more than just guessing, but the whole idea is to develop a better structure that won’t need rebuilding, at a much higher cost, than a well-designed construction. Without placing the correctly coated steel reinforcement in the proper strength concrete on the correctly located underground supports, you’re just guessing, and either overbuilding at greater cost or under-building, at even greater cost. You’ll save money resting the concrete on the new bulkhead, and then spend the money to do it all over again. Good luck!

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St. Patrick’s is so much bigger than one day

St. Patrick’s Day is in reality no longer a one-day festive occasion celebrated on March 17, but an almost three-week-long celebration full of parades, luncheons, dinners and parties.

On Long Island alone there will be more than two dozen parades and hundreds of events this month at Hibernian halls, bars, restaurants and community centers from western Nassau County to eastern Suffolk.

pETER KinG

And, of course, New York City’s parade up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, drawing a crowd of more than 500,000 and lasting more than seven hours, is the largest Irish celebration in the world.

As a proud Irish-American, I have marched in many St. Patrick’s Day parades over the years, including the

city’s, where I was grand marshal 39 years ago, and Huntington’s, last Sunday, where I was privileged to march with the grand marshal, a longtime family friend, Monsignor Steve Camp.

I remember around the time I was grand marshal in New York’s parade, there was discussion about whether, going forward, younger generations would continue to support it. The answer is a definite yes. Attendance is growing every year, and new parades are actually forming elsewhere. The Wantagh parade, for instance, which only began in 2019, draws overflow throngs all along the parade route, up and down both sides of Wantagh Avenue.

One beautiful pane in the stained-glass window that is America.

This increased interest and enthusiasm is a welcome development at a time when everyday life has become so frenetic and fast-paced, and institutions and traditions are under siege from some and ignored by others. Perhaps it is this societal turbulence that

moves good people to reach out for something that gives them and their families and friends a sense of stability and permanence. And I apply this to all ethnic groups and religions. While America is generally described as a melting pot, I prefer the late New York Gov. Mario Cuomo’s description of our magnificent country as a beautiful mosaic where each group maintains its uniqueness in the large stained-glass window that is America.

Parades are an expression of that uniqueness, and the mosaic. Whether it’s the Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, Italians on Columbus Day, Germans on Steuben Day, Poles on Pulaski Day, Jews on Israel’s Day of Independence, Greeks on Greek Independence Day, Puerto Ricans on Puerto Rican Day or any of the many newer people in our country celebrating their heritage, these parades honor the traditions that combine to make America

such a shining city on a hill.

They also recall the travails and adversities each group had to overcome to become part of the American dream. For instance, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade represents so much more than the trivial stereotypes of green beer and leprechauns. The parade is always led up Fifth Avenue by the 69th Infantry Regiment (in which I proudly served), in recognition of this Army unit’s predominantly Irish membership protecting parade marchers from being attacked and St. Patrick’s Cathedral from being burned down by antiCatholic nativists in the 1860s.

All races, ethnic groups and religions can point to what they have achieved and what they have overcome in their American experience. That is why celebrating our heritage is celebrating America, which has made it all possible. Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and God bless America.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

The challenge of a Supreme Court that isn’t supreme

As a lawyer, I have the greatest respect for the American court system. Our country is one of the few in the world whose courts are not used for political vendettas, as is the case in Russia. That system is manipulated by one man, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and there are countless cases in which he has punished his political enemies by using the judicial system.

JERRY KREMER

There is no question that some judges appointed to our courts have philosophical or personal views that color their decisions. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is hearing the case involving former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents, has appeared to favor him on a number of occasions. Some judicial observers believe Cannon will find ways to stop Trump from being brought to justice before November’s election.

Many judges, including those appointed during Trump’s tenure, have

shut down multiple attempts to throw out the 2020 election results. Upward of 60 judges have overseen election fraud suits, and all of them have ruled against the team headed by former New York City Mayor Rudy Guliani. That gives me, and countless others, a degree of comfort.

Will it prevent any prosecution of Donald Trump before the election?

Regrettably, that doesn’t apply to members of the U.S. Supreme Court, which of late has been dominated by a majority that is willing to bend its decisions to fit its philosophy. Our country has had some Supreme Court majorities that have approached most of their big cases with strong personal views, but in the end have chosen more moderate positions.

During my lifetime, different Supreme Courts have been known as the Warren Court, the Burger Court, the Rehnquist Court. They get those label based on who the chief justice is, and whether the court is in fact guided by him. In the case of the current court, Chief Justice John Roberts has been unable, in most big cases, to steer the court to positions that fit his philosophy.

Because this court is so strongly

guided by its five ultra-conservative members, there is no doubt that the decisions it will make in some pending cases may have a strong impact on the November election. There are at least six cases yet to be decided that fit into that category. One, which will stir up the pro-choice movement, involves the legality of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion drug mifepristone. Considering that more than half of the women in America who have abortions use pills, if that legalization is overturned, it will likely lead to nationwide protests.

Another case in that arena involves the legality of restraining orders that prohibit granting gun permits to people with a history of domestic violence. It is universally agreed that spouses should be protected from a spouse with a history of violent conduct. But this court is so wedded to protecting the Second Amendment that it’s likely that it could rule in favor of gun owners.

Another case involving guns is the challenge to an executive order by then President Trump that makes it illegal to add a “bump stock” to a gun that

turns it into a machine gun. That order came about as the result of a mass killing at a Las Vegas concert. If you took a national poll on this issue, an overwhelmingly majority would express their opposition to the use of bump stocks. But this is another case in which the court could side with gun rights.

One of the biggest cases the Supremes will soon decide is whether a former president is immune from prosecution for an alleged crime he committed when he was in office. A federal court has written a lengthy opinion denying such immunity, but the Supreme Court has taken the case to put its own imprint on this issue. Some court followers have conjectured that it did so to prevent any prosecution of Trump before the election.

People unfamiliar with the courts often aren’t aware of how much mischief a court can create. But sadly, the current highest court in the land has shown that it is anything but a “supreme” court.

Jerry Kremer was an Assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.

HeraLd editoriaL

Shining light where government remains dark “K

nowledge will forever govern ignorance,” President James Madison once said.

“And a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

Madison may not be the most wellknown of the Founding Fathers — not even getting the most prominent of roles in the hit musical “Hamilton” — but it’s hard to imagine an America without him. Not only was he an early advocate of the U.S. Constitution, but Madison is also credited as the author of the Bill of Rights — the first 10 amendments to the Constitution that address, among other things, the freedom of the press — and, by extension, the ability to arm ourselves with the very knowledge he championed.

So it’s fitting that Sunshine Week — this week, when we promote open government and the freedom of information — happens to include Madison’s birthday, March 16. But sadly, more than two centuries later, we still have a long way to go to ensure the transparency in government that the founders promised us.

Established by the American Society of News Editors nearly 20 years ago, Sunshine Week is an important reminder of the vital role transparency plays in a democratic society. It’s vital we protect the public’s right to know.

While New York might lead the nation in many different categories, one area in which the state is not a pioneer is government transparency. In fact, four states have the right to open government spelled out in their state constitutions,

according to the New York Coalition for Open Government, but none of them are New York.

A bill offered by Assemblyman Phil Steck and state Sen. Rachel May would fix that by enshrining access to public information as a fundamental right in the state constitution, because it’s a “necessary and vital part of democracy and public deliberation.”

“The right of the people to inspect and/or copy records of government, and to be provided notice of and attend public meetings of government, shall not be unreasonably restricted,” according to the legislation.

Yet even if that constitutional amendment passed, enforcement would be nearly impossible. Right now, the only way any of us can ensure that government is transparent is by taking it to court. But even if we win, courts are not required to also award attorneys’ fees unless someone “substantially prevails” in such a case — something that is quite subjective and hard to prove.

With that, governments can simply run up legal costs until someone exhausts their financial resources. And if there were a violation of open-government laws, it would never reach a judge.

Instead, the open-government coalition is pushing a bill from Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal that would create a hearing-officer system to adjudicate those issues and impose penalties.

It’s certainly not a new approach. The open-government coalition points out the small-claims assessment reviews for property tax assessment disputes, in which homeowners complete a simple

NUMC needs state funding restored

To the Editor:

I write to underscore the critical situation facing the Nassau University Medical Center, as reported in the Herald in recent weeks. Without restoration of state funding that was drastically cut from the hospital in 2020, this vital community resource could be lost.

NUMC stands as a cornerstone of our community, providing vital health care services to hundreds of thousands of patients annually, with a significant portion relying on Medicare or Medicaid. Reductions in state aid — not current leadership — have endangered the hospital’s ability to provide care for Long Island’s most vulnerable populations.

Despite these challenges, NUMC’s team has forged ahead, with those we serve remaining our top priority. Hospital leadership has initiated comprehensive reforms to improve financial health. These reforms are already demonstrating the hospital’s commitment to financial sustainability.

Unfortunately, NUMC, as a safety-net hospital, cannot overcome these challenges alone. It’s paramount for lead-

application, pay a filing fee, and then have their case decided by a hearing officer. More than 100,000 such complaints made their way through the system in 2020, costing just over $100 each. The same system is needed for disputes over government records, and Rosenthal is pushing just that. But she has yet to get any support from anyone in the state Senate.

The coronavirus pandemic introduced many of us to livestreaming online — especially when it came to government meetings. Now that we are on the other side of the pandemic, those online streams are not as common. Yet a bill from Assemblywoman Amy Paulin and state Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. would require all public bodies to not only broadcast their meetings, but record them, and leave them online for five years.

Even more important is a chance for members of the public to comment at meetings — something that is not guaranteed by the state’s open meetings law, and which a number of organizations don’t make time for. Unfortunately, there’s nothing in front of lawmakers yet to make this happen — but it’s needed.

Sunshine Week is important to remind us that we have some work ahead of us as citizens, but it’s also good to remind government officials that they need to prioritize transparency and accountability as well. It’s vital that we stay informed and engaged, and reach out to our lawmakers so that these bills — and others designed to make our government more open — will indeed see the light of day.

Where do our young leaders fit in the age debate?

It’s a common refrain your wellmeaning, often younger friend or coworker might tell you to dampen your fears of getting older: “Age is just a number.”

Of course, to our inner cynics, these are just pretty words. But it’s true, isn’t it? Judging oneself based purely on one’s time spent on earth can lead to false conclusions. And if we struggle to extend this generous thinking to ourselves, imagine how hard it’s been for voters to extend it to this year’s presidential candidates.

Fate is pointing toward a rematch between President Biden and former president Donald Trump, the two oldest nominees in history — as they were when they faced off four years ago. Their age has given voters plenty to talk about.

In fact, age — and its toll on the physical and mental fitness of the candidates — has become a leading issue in the campaign.

Trump would be 82 at the end of a second term. Biden, who is already the oldest president in history, would be 86.

If current polls are correct, most Americans are less than thrilled about another four years of a geriatric presidency.

The endless media clips of incoherent garble, memory slips and puzzling public performances by both candidates have done little to quell fears. Instead, they’ve served as endless fodder for speculation and rumor, with words like “dementia,” “senile” and “incompetent” dripping from commentators’ lips.

Much of the panic is over-hyped, medical experts say. Forgetting things and stumbling over words are not, by themselves, telltale symptoms of cognitive decline, they explain — rather, symptoms of just being human.

they’re in a cohort all their own. They are “super seniors,” pushing the limits of an average lifespan while competing for the hardest job in the world.

It’s one thing not to judge people by their age, but quite another to ask the American public to ignore the effects of aging on these two people.

a merica today isn’t the America in which Biden and Trump came of age.

Age is a factor for the average senior managing the strains and pressures of a normal life, to say nothing of one who’s dealing with the unthinkable pressures of leading the free world. Can either Trump or Biden do it? Sure they can. But if the past few months are any indication of the next four years, it won’t be pretty.

ing to Pew Research. For a senator, it’s 65.

Is it any wonder that young people feel they have been shut out of a place at the decision-making table, and that their concerns don’t rank high among their representatives’ priorities?

Young people’s alienation from and skepticism about politics have created a vacuum of engagement that older politicians have exploited in their own interests, as evidenced by the culture war focusing on gender in universities and school board meetings — and by extension against young people, who are by and large more open than past generations to redefining such concepts.

They remind us that no president under 24-hour media scrutiny has been spared cringe-worthy moments. Who can forget the gaffes of President George W. Bush, a spring chicken compared with Biden and Trump?

Nonetheless, I think Americans do have a right to be worried.

The fact that we must consider the possibility that either man could die in office of natural causes should give us pause. Doctors tell us that both are exceptionally healthy for their age, but

Letters

ers in Albany to restore the funding in this year’s state budget. Without this essential aid, NUMC’s capacity to fulfill its mission will be in jeopardy.

I implore our governor, legislative leaders and local state legislators to prioritize our community’s health and well-being by reinstating funding for NUMC and ensuring its long-term sustainability.

CARMINe CARMONe Director of environmental services, NUMC Levittown

Peter King, who’s to blame for the border crisis?

To the editor:

I am one of the growing number of American voters who are politically unaffiliated. I have no allegiance to either party or personality cult.

I believe that we have to have a functioning border system. There’s a difference between who I believe, and who former Congressman

Peter King believes, is to blame for the border crisis (“Reflections on the special election,” Feb. 29-March 6).

The Republicans have historically scuttled any attempts to resolve this issue. There really are many instances of this, but I’ll just list a few. In 2013, then House Speaker John Boehner refused to allow a comprehensive reform bill to come to the floor of the House. Recently, a bipartisan bill that had been worked on for months was voted down in the Senate by Republicans, after House Speaker Mike Johnson had numerous discussions with former President Donald Trump and said that it would be “dead on arrival” in the House.

During the Trump administration, one of the most disgraceful border policies separated minor children from their parents and put them in chain-link enclosures to provide photo opportunities for the Republicans. Now Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has spent more than $150 million to send migrants to socalled sanctuary cities so that other Republican officials can share in the fun. Perhaps that money would be better spent on helping the victims of the recent

The problem is bigger than just Trump and Biden — it’s a sign of deeper trouble with our politics. We complain about our leaders being too old, but we’ve paid too little attention to the other side of that coin: Where are our young leaders?

Socially and technologically, America today is not the America in which Biden and Trump came of age. Yet those in their 40s and younger are still passed up and overlooked for positions of power. The median age of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives is 58, accord-

Those generational differences are also evident in the sluggish pace with which the government has mobilized technology and legislation to combat climate change, despite the urgent cries of young people demanding change now.

And those differences are brutally obvious in the lack of progress toward rethinking the cost of education and housing, for which young people stand most to lose.

Our present discontent toward our aging leaders is neither inevitable nor forever. It’s something we’ve chosen by refusing to let our young people take the lead and have a say in their future.

Juan Lasso is editor of the Valley Stream Herald, Comments? jlasso@liherald.com.

wildfires in Abbott’s home state.

So, Mr. King, I don’t believe Republicans want to solve this problem, because they want to use it for political gains. What have you done to encourage your fellow Republi-

cans to solve it? Did you ever work on a bipartisan solution? Just asking.

Framework

JUan Lasso